Saturday, July 18, 2009

Rolling with it

What happens on RAGBRAI doesn't necessarily stay on RAGBRAI, but all of it could only happen in Iowa.

We arrived today in Council Bluffs only to find our host had moved to Colorado without our knowledge. What a shocking experience that had to be for our first time riders.

Anarchy was quickly avoided as across-the-street neighbors Jessica and Ryan Willer offered up their lawn and bathroom. Soon after, fresh-back-from-vacation neighbors Diane and Barry Glass offered up their lawn and camper. Soon after that, our original host contacted the current tenant, his cousin Shelby Albertson and high school classmate Nick Golden, and we had free reign of their house as well. A little while later, neighbor Denny came over to offer up his fire pit and horseshoe pit.

We'll never say anything bad about our hosts. Thanks so much for your hospitality, Shelby and Nick. Bruce Springsteen wrote "someday we'll look back on this and it will all seem funny." I think we were there on Sunday already. We'll never forget you.

Yes, Saturday night was a true Iowa experience. Here in my neck of the woods on the east coast, we would have looked at some crazy people in brightly colored jerseys camping on a neighbor's yard and stayed FARRR away.

Gear

Waiver of Liability

Neither CoeCollege nor the Coe RAGBRAI® Organizing Committee (aka Team CoeBRAI) accept any liability for your personal health or safety. You waive all claims against anyone associated with RAGBRAI®, including Coe College and the Coe RAGBRAI® Organizing Committee (aka Team CoeBRAI), when you sign the official RAGBRAI® AGREEMENT, WAIVER & RELEASE OF LIABILITY. Read it before you sign it! Riding in motor vehicles, riding bicycles, being out in the weather, eating food prepared by strangers, etc., all entail a degree of risk. You assume that risk.